The force was absurdly immense.
The wooden plank beneath Qin Yu's feet groaned under the strain, and his entire body arched like a fully drawn bow, his upper torso nearly parallel to the sea surface.
"Squeak—"
The black fishing line sliced through the water, stretched to its limit, emitting a grating friction sound that set teeth on edge.
If it were an ordinary fishing rod, it would have shattered by now.
But the God-Tier Poseidon Fishing Rod was, after all, an SSS-grade item. Though the rod bent into a heart-stopping arc, it remained as resilient as ever, without a single crack.
"Qin Yu!"
Yao Xue gasped in shock, her heart lurching as she saw Qin Yu's foot nearly dangling in mid-air.
Without a second thought, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Qin Yu's waist.
"Qianqian! Come help!"
Gritting her teeth, Yao Xue leaned back, using her own body as a counterweight for Qin Yu.
"Coming... I'm coming!"
Yao Qian tossed aside the rusty iron hook and scrambled over, clutching her sister's waist.
The three of them looked as if they were engaged in a life-or-death tug-of-war.
Their only opponent was the unknown behemoth lurking in the depths.
"Stop shouting!"
Qin Yu's veins bulged on his forehead, sweat trickling down his cheeks and evaporating instantly upon hitting the wooden planks.
"Steady your center of gravity! Don't move recklessly!"
He could sense it.
Though the object underwater was heavy, it lacked the violent struggle characteristic of a living creature.
It wasn't alive.
It was inanimate.
But it weighed at least two hundred pounds or more.
Combined with the water resistance, reeling it in felt like hauling a sunken sedan car from the seabed.
"Up!"
Qin Yu roared, the muscles in his arms swelling as he leveraged the pull from the two sisters behind him, yanking the rod backward with all his might.
Splash!
The sea surface erupted.
No monstrous creature emerged as one might expect.
Instead, a massive silver-white box burst out of the water, sending white spray flying everywhere.
Under the refraction of sunlight, the silvery metal casing was blindingly bright.
"Get back!"
Qin Yu shouted.
Almost simultaneously, the three released their grip and stumbled backward.
Thud!
A loud crash echoed.
The large silver box landed heavily in the center of the raft.
The entire raft sank abruptly, seawater seeping through the gaps and rising above their ankles before receding quickly as the raft bobbed back up.
The violent swaying sent the Yao sisters tumbling over each other with screams.
Qin Yu, quick-eyed and swift-handed, grabbed a hemp rope binding the raft, steadying himself.
The rocking gradually subsided.
Panting heavily, Qin Yu wiped the seawater from his face, his gaze fixed intently on the box.
This box was twice the size of the previous one.
Its entire body was silver-white, made of an unknown material that resembled metal. Yet, since it could be fished up, its density must have been specially treated.
The surface of the box was free of seaweed, smooth and pristine.
A golden "S" was engraved right in the center.
"S-grade..."
Qin Yu's pupils contracted slightly.
The earlier box containing water and bread hadn't even had a mark, at most qualifying as an F or E-grade ordinary supply.
What could be inside this one bearing an "S" mark?
Yao Xue pushed up her glasses and awkwardly climbed up from the ground. When she fell earlier, her knee had hit the wooden plank, and the pain made her suck in cold air sharply.
But when she saw that enormous silver crate, the pain seemed to vanish instantly.
"This... this is huge?"
Yao Xue widened her beautiful eyes.
"Was this fished up too?"
Yao Qian rubbed her sore bottom as she limped over, reaching out to touch the crate but hesitating.
"Qin Yu, there aren't zombies inside, are there?"
This girl watches too many movies.
Qin Yu ignored her and stepped forward directly.
The crate had no keyhole or pull ring.
Only a palm print sensor area.
Qin Yu pressed his palm against it.
"Beep!"
"Owner detected: Qin Yu."
"S-grade supply crate, opening."
Accompanied by the sound of hydraulic pressure releasing, the lid slowly popped open.
There was no dazzling golden light effect.
Only two items lay quietly on the deep blue velvet lining.
On the left was a machine with a peculiar design.
About the size of a water dispenser, entirely silver-gray, with a long tube inserted on top and a transparent water storage tank beside it.
It looked highly technological.
On the right was a card emitting a faint golden glow.
Qin Yu picked up the card first.
[Raft Area Doubling Card (Special Item)]
[Description: After use, directly doubles the base area of the current raft.]
[Note: This item is a one-time consumable and can only affect the currently bound main vehicle.]
Qin Yu raised an eyebrow.
A good item.
In this world full of water, a foothold means life.
A larger raft means more space for supplies, building shelters, and even farming.
But he didn't use it immediately.
He stuffed the card into his system backpack and turned his gaze to the machine.
He reached out and touched it.
A line of information appeared before his eyes.
[Fully Automatic Seawater Purifier (S-grade)]
[Description: A black-tech product powered by solar energy. Simply drop the intake pipe into the sea to automatically draw and purify seawater.]
[Efficiency: Produces 5 liters of pure drinking water per hour.]
[Additional functions: Automatically filters toxins, heavy metals, and microorganisms. The produced water is sweet and delicious, rich in trace elements.]
Qin Yu's breath hitched.
Then, the corners of his mouth curled up wildly, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahaha!"
"Heaven never seals off all exits!"
If that fishing rod was the spear for obtaining supplies,
Then this purifier was the shield for survival!
What is the scarcest resource on this vast ocean?
Not food.
There are fish in the sea; as long as you have the means, you can always get something to eat.
The scarcest is fresh water!
A person can go three days without food but absolutely cannot go three days without water.
Especially in this scorching sun environment, dehydration can make a person lose their sanity in an extremely short time, leading to death.
Five liters per hour.
Twenty-four hours a day, as long as there's sunlight, this means a continuous supply of fresh water!
This isn't just a machine.
This is a money-printing machine!
"What are you laughing about..."
Yao Qian felt unnerved by Qin Yu's laughter and hid behind Yao Xue.
"Qin Yu, what exactly is inside?"
Yao Xue also leaned over curiously.
Qin Yu turned sideways and pointed at the machine.
"Take a look at this."
"Seawater purifier."
"As long as we have this, we'll have enough for bathing in the future."
"Wh-what?!"
Yao Xue's usually calm voice faltered noticeably.
She rushed to the crate, staring intently at the machine's instructions (if she could see them) or listening to Qin Yu's explanation.
"Purifying seawater? Really?"
As a doctor, she knew all too well the value of fresh water.
If this thing was real, then their starting point in this survival game had already surpassed everyone else's finish line!
"Let's test it and see."
Without another word, Qin Yu lifted the machine out and placed it in the most stable corner of the raft.
He pulled out the long intake hose and threw it into the sea.
The solar panel on top automatically unfolded, aligning with the harsh sun overhead.
Hum—
A faint humming sound began.
The machine started operating.
After just over ten seconds.
Clear liquid began dripping into the transparent water storage tank.
The speed was rapid, visibly rising before their eyes.
Yao Qian stared in astonishment.
She swallowed hard, pointing at the storage tank.
"Is... is this fresh water?"
"Taste it."
Qin Yu collected a small cup and handed it over.
Yao Qian didn't hesitate, taking it and drinking it all in one go.
The next moment, her eyes shone like two large light bulbs.
"It's sweet!"
"Sis! It's really sweet! Even better than that bottled water we had earlier!"
Yao Xue looked at the continuously producing machine with an extremely complex expression.
She turned to Qin Yu.
This man's luck was enviable.
But what made her feel more at ease was that this man didn't seem inclined to keep it all for himself.
"Qin Yu, with this, we don't need to worry about water anymore."
Yao Xue's voice trembled slightly.
"Not only that."
Qin Yu patted the machine's casing, his eyes gleaming with a merchant's shrewdness.
"At this stage, water isn't just the source of life."
"It's hard currency."
He turned around, looking at the remaining unopened bottles of mineral water.
Aside from those already consumed by the two sisters and himself, about seven bottles remained.
"The value of these bottled waters has changed for us now."
Qin Yu picked up three bottles, weighing them in his hand.
"We'll use them to trade for other things."
"Trade?"
Yao Xue was momentarily stunned before understanding.
"You mean... the Trading House?"
"Exactly."
Qin Yu opened the system panel and clicked on [Trading House].
The Trading House was currently empty.
Occasional listings were all junk trades like "rotten wood for bread" or "worn shoes for water."
Most people were still struggling for survival—who had extra supplies to sell?
Except for Qin Yu.
"What do you want to trade for?"
Yao Xue leaned in to ask.
"Basic materials."
Qin Yu said gravely.
"Wood, rope, plastic."
"I want to expand our raft."
"With this machine taking up space on our current 4-square-meter area, there's no room left to sleep."
Yao Xue glanced at the bulky purification machine.
True enough.
It was already cramped—now even more so.
If they slept at night, she and her sister would probably have to curl up their legs and press closely against Qin Yu to fit.
Although Qin Yu wasn't bad-looking and had a good physique, he was still a grown man...
"So how do you plan to price them?"
Yao Xue asked the crucial question.
A cold smile curled at the corner of Qin Yu's lips.
He entered the information into the listing interface of the Trading House.
[Seller: Anonymous]
[Item: 500ml Mineral Water x 1]
[Requirement: Wood x 10 OR Rope x 10 OR Plastic x 10]
[Stock: 3]
Seeing this price, Yao Xue gasped sharply.
Even Yao Qian, who was usually insensitive to numbers, exclaimed in shock.
"Qin Yu! Have you gone mad?"
"Ten pieces of wood for one bottle of water?"
"I just spent forever fishing up a single piece of wood!"
"Who would trade for this? This is outright robbery!"
Yao Xue also furrowed her brows and analyzed rationally:
"Qin Yu, this price is indeed too high."
"At this stage, no one has many tools, and the efficiency of gathering wood is very low."
"Ten units of basic materials are equivalent to half a day or even a full day's work for one person."
"To exchange it for just one bottle of water, isn't that a bit..."
"A bit like profiteering from others' misfortune?"
Qin Yu took over the conversation, his expression unchanged.
"Dr. Yao, you still don't understand the situation."
"This isn't buying water at a supermarket."
"This is buying a life."
Qin Yu pointed at the sun overhead.
"Under this scorching heat, a person will show signs of dehydration in less than three hours."
"In six hours, they'll go into shock."
"Do you think a person dying of thirst would cling to a pile of wood that can't be eaten or drunk while waiting to die?"
"Or would they use all their possessions to exchange for this one bottle of water that could keep them alive?"
Qin Yu's voice was cold, carrying a cruel insight into human nature.
"Besides, I only want three sets."
"Out of over three billion people globally, and over thirty thousand in this zone alone."
"There will always be lucky individuals, or hardworking ones like your sister, who have saved up enough of these materials."
"What they lack is precisely this mouthful of water."
After saying this, Qin Yu decisively clicked [List Item].
...
In the Chat Channel of Zone 9527.
It was already filled with cries of despair.
"Water... who has water... I'm willing to trade my wife's photos for some..."
"Get lost, you idiot upstairs! I'm dying of thirst—do you think looking at your wife's photos will quench it?"
"I fished up three wooden planks, but I have no water. My throat is parched."
"This game is way too hardcore! It doesn't give us a chance to survive!"
"I'm thinking of drinking urine. Is there a doctor who can tell me how long I can last on urine?"
Amid this flood of desperate messages.
A golden system notification suddenly appeared at the top.
As it was the first listing of high-value supplies, the system even gave it a small special effect.
[Trading House Reminder: A seller has listed the precious item "Mineral Water (500ml)"! Get it while supplies last!]
As soon as this message appeared.
The entire Chat Channel fell silent for a full three seconds.
Then, it exploded completely!
"Holy crap?! Water?!"
"Is it real? Someone is selling water?"
"Damn! That's mineral water! And a full bottle!"
"Hurry, grab it!"
Countless people frantically opened the Trading House.
Immediately afterward, a wave of curses and exclamations surged in.
"Damn! Is this guy out of his mind? Ten pieces of wood for one bottle of water?"
"Profiteer! An absolute profiteer!"
"I only have two pieces of wood. Can you show some mercy?"
"Who the hell is this? It's only been a few hours since the start—how does anyone have extra water?"
"Is he the system's favorite or something?"
However.
Complaints aside.
His hands never stopped moving.
Qin Yu's system notification sounded just five seconds after he listed the items.
"Ding!"
"Transaction successful!"
"Lost: 500ml mineral water x1. Obtained: Wood x10."
"Ding!"
"Transaction successful!"
"Lost: 500ml mineral water x1. Obtained: Rope x10."
"Ding!"
"Transaction successful!"
"Lost: 500ml mineral water x1. Obtained: Plastic x10."
Three seconds.
Just three seconds.
Three bottles of water were instantly sold out.
Qin Yu's backpack was suddenly filled with a pile of basic materials.
A neat total of 30 units of supplies.
"See."
Qin Yu spread his hands and shrugged at the stunned Yao sisters.
"This is the market."
"This is human nature."
Yao Xue watched Qin Yu's calm and composed demeanor, feeling a chill run down her spine.
Just moments ago, she thought the prices were too high.
But the facts proved she had underestimated people's desperation for survival.
Those who complained the most in the Chat Channel might have been the fastest to snatch up the deals.
"Gone... just like that?"
Yao Qian refreshed the Trading House, staring at the grayed-out "Sold Out" label, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
"Just like that... we got all this?"
"I worked so hard earlier, hooking for ages, and only got one piece..."
"He just moved his fingers and got thirty..."
Yao Qian felt her worldview being shaken.
So, in this post-apocalyptic world, was this the right way to play?
Qin Yu had no time to dwell on their shock.
He took stock of the supplies.
Including the piece of wood Yao Qian had hooked earlier.
He now had: Wood 11, Rope 10, Plastic 10.
Opening the [Crafting] list.
[Simple Wooden Floor: Requires Wood x2, Rope x1.]
[Description: Can be assembled at the edges of the raft, each piece covering 1 square meter.]
[Simple Pontoon: Requires Plastic x2.]
[Description: Increases raft buoyancy, essential for expansion.]
Qin Yu quickly did the math in his head.
"Expand first."
He directly operated on the crafting panel.
"Consume Wood 10, Rope 5."
"Craft 5 wooden floors."
"Consume Plastic 10."
"Craft 5 simple pontoons."
A flash of white light later.
Qin Yu held a pile of components in his hands.
With a thought from Qin Yu, the 5 pontoons automatically positioned themselves around the original 4 square meters.
The system-bound pontoons appeared exceptionally sturdy.
The raft now took on an irregular shape, with an area of 9 square meters.
Though still not large.
It was far more spacious compared to the earlier cramped space where turning around was difficult.
Even the S-grade water purifier now had a dedicated spot.
"Whew..."
Qin Yu let out a long breath, sitting on the newly laid wooden floor, feeling the much steadier rocking compared to before.
"This is much more comfortable."
He took out the golden-glowing card from his backpack.
[Raft Area Doubling Card]
If used at 4 square meters, it would only become 8 square meters.
Now at 9 square meters, using it would make it 18 square meters!
Moreover, if we could gather a bit more materials and expand it to 20 square meters, that would make 40 square meters in total!
Qin Yu had the calculations down pat.
"This card should be saved for now."
Qin Yu spun the card between his fingers once before putting it away.
"Let's use it after we've expanded the raft to its current limit."
"Then we can build a seaside villa directly."
When Yao Qian heard "v
illa," her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I want to live on the second floor! The kind with a balcony!"
Though Yao Xue didn't speak, a flicker of longing also crossed her eyes.
In this desperate hell,
Qin Yu's presence was like a shot of adrenaline for them.
Not only did they have food and water,
they could even plan for the future.
Meanwhile, in the Chat Channel, discussions about the "mysterious water seller" were still ongoing.
"Who is that anonymous big shot anyway?"
"I checked the raft area leaderboard—the top spot is also anonymous. Could it be the same person?"
Qin Yu glanced at the chat logs, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
The meta strategy?
No.
I am the bug in this world.
He looked at the S-grade water purifier, then at the black fishing rod in his hand.
"Yao Xue, Yao Qian."
Qin Yu stood up, brimming with confidence.
"Time to get to work."